| "Be My Lover" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) The singles European cover sleeve art | ||||
| Single byLa Bouche | ||||
| from the albumSweet Dreams | ||||
| B-side | "Do You Still Need Me" | |||
| Released | 2 March 1995 (1995-03-02)[1] | |||
| Recorded | Early 1994 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | MCI | |||
| Songwriters |
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| La Bouche singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Be My Lover" onYouTube | ||||
"Be My Lover" is a song by GermanEurodance groupLa Bouche and released in March 1995 byArista andRCA Records as the second single from their debut album,Sweet Dreams (1995). The song was written by group membersMelanie Thornton andLane McCray with Uli Brenner and Gerd Amir Saraf, who co-produced it withFrank Farian.
"Be My Lover" became a number-one hit in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Sweden, as well as on theEurochart Hot 100. In the United States, the single reached numbers five and six on theCash Box Top 100 andBillboard Hot 100, respectively. Two different music videos were produced to promote the single. "Be My Lover" earned La Bouche the 1996Echo Music Prize in Germany in the category for Best Dance Single as well as theASCAP Award in the US for the Most Played Song in America. It was dubbed into manymegamix tracks and has had severalremix versions.
In 2000, when Thornton left the group to start with her solo career, La Bouche released a new version of "Be My Lover" with vocals by Natascha Wright, who replaced Thornton as the female singer of the group.
American rapperLane McCray met American singerMelanie Thornton inSaarbrücken, Germany while he was on active duty in theUS Air Force. Thornton had moved from the US to Germany, where she performed as guest vocalist ondance-pop recordings.[6] They went together in a band called Groovin' Affairs and were discovered by German record producerFrank Farian, known forMilli Vanilli andBoney M. Then they founded theEurodance duoLa Bouche. McCray and Thornton wrote "Be My Lover" together and started recording in early 1994. Because of McCray's duty in the US Air Force, La Bouche's success faced one minor challenge.[7] But the duo went on becoming one of the most popular Eurodance acts of the mid-90s.
""Be My Lover" no one liked. I kept trying to find words for the "la da da dee" part of the song. We couldn't find any words so we just left it in the song."
McCray told in a 2016 interview about how they came up with the name of the song, "We were at a gig in Germany, and in between sets she [Thornton] says to me, drying herself off with a towel, "So, how so you feel about mixing business with pleasure?" I responded that it was my experience that it doesn't usually work. I had dated a young lady who performed on the tour, and when she was mad at me she'd bring that on to the stage. But, then again, never say never. We continued doing the shows, and when we got into the studio, she said something like with all the time we had spent together, I should know if I wanted to be her lover. My response was that I heard what she was saying, but I needed to know more about her. Well, that's where that song came from."[9]
La Bouche's Melanie Thornton and Lane McCray co-wrote the song with Uli Brenner and Gerd Amir Saraf. It is written in the key ofC♯ minor[10] and follows a tempo of 134 beats per minute. "Be My Lover" follows a basic chord progression of C♯m–A–B, and the vocals span from G♯3 to F♯5.[11] Thela-da-di-da-dah hook of the song, came from being unable to create the right lyrics to fill that portion of the music. So Thornton and McCray ad-libbed that portion, and decided to keep it like that.[9]
An editor fromThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution declared the song as a "high-energy hit".[12]J.D. Considine fromThe Baltimore Sun described it as "searing".[13]Larry Flick fromBillboard magazine viewed it as "tirelessly giddy".[14] Michael Saunders fromBoston Globe praised it as a "glorious" and "twinkly" cut.[15]Gil L. Robertson IV fromCash Box named "Be My Lover" a "standout track" fromSweet Dreams.[16] Beth D'Addono fromDelaware County Daily Times commented, "La da da dee da da da dah... Then that infectiousdisco beat kicks in, and 'Be My Lover' blares from the car radio, takes over the dance floor, reverberates through the health club, inspiring step classes to even greater heights."[4] Lynn Dean Ford fromIndianapolis Star compared the song toSnap! andReal McCoy, with "their relentless energy steeped in tension and computerization."[17] Connie Johnson fromLos Angeles Times wrote, "Sounding like a blackABBA crossed with theC+C Music Factory, Melanie Thornton and Lane McCray invest attitude into such tracks as 'Be My Lover', but you’d have to be a die-hardEuro-dance fan to appreciate it."[2] Chuck Campbell fromKnoxville News Sentinel said, "How does La Bouche's Top 10 hit [...] distinguish itself from the scores of other similar dance songs to be Flavor of the Month? It must be the openingla-da-da-di-da-da-da-da of vocalist Melanie Thornton (who then goes on a spree of la's, da's and di's). Otherwise it's an ordinary, albeit invigorating, dance track."[18] In his weekly UK chart commentary,James Masterton stated that it "could well turn out to be one of the pop smashes of the year. Right from the'La Da Da De Dah' introduction and hook this is one Euro-hit that has 'floor-filler' written all over it. Top 10 within a fortnight, just watch."[19]
Paul Mathur fromMelody Maker wrote, "They do a kind of Snapmangué thing which deeply excites both me andSimon Price. And it's the best bit ofhandbag until the soon-to-be-re-released 'Keep Warm' byJinny."[5] AnotherMelody Maker editor,Taylor Parkes, noted that "demand for 'Be My Lover' from returning holidaymakers is so colossal that, by time you read this, it'll have cannoned deep into the UK charts." He also called it "a beautifully quick, cheap thrill. Commerce in motion! Surrender to it!"[20]Music Week gave "Be My Lover" three out of five, adding further that "this fairly standard piece ofEuropop is unlikely to top labelmates Real McCoy in the UK."[21] The magazine's Alan Jones praised its "accomplished diva vocals" and "acute commercial nature".[22] Jim Farber fromNew York Daily News deemed it as a "Euro-disco plea", that "sounds so freakishly retro."[23]People Magazine noted that it "underscore buoyant vocals with dark minor-key arrangements".[24]Richmond Times-Dispatch's reviewer said, "I am insanely jealous of the lead female vocal, Melanie Thornton. She has a wonderful, flexible voice."[25]The Tampa Tribune stated that her vocals "are a little better than those of the average disco songstress."[26]James Hamilton from theRecord Mirror Dance Update described it as an "infectiously'la de dah'-ed German smash by aFrankfurt based US duo in the usual Euro style".[27] Andrew Diprose fromSmash Hits also gave it three out of five, writing, "Repeat after me,La da da de da da dah addDr Alban style rapping turn on a blender,voilà, 'Be My Lover'. What we have here is yer classic Bird'n'Bloke-type band scenario, with an infectious singalong choon. Two listens and you'll be hooked... or I'll eat my headphones![28]
"Be My Lover" topped both the USBillboardDance Club Play chart and the CanadianRPM Dance/Urban chart, and it reached the top 10 of the USCash Box Top 100 andBillboard Hot 100 charts. It also peaked at number one in Germany (4 weeks), Hungary,[29] the Czech Republic,[29] Mexico,[29] Romania,[29] and Sweden (1 week). Additionally, it peaked at number two in Australia, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway. "Be My Lover" was a top-10 hit in at least 16 countries, including Belgium, Brazil,[29] Denmark, France, Greece,[29] Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 25 on theUK Singles Chart on 25 February 1996,[30] while reaching number 20 on theUK Dance Chart. The single also reached number two on the UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart byMusic Week.[31] On theEurochart Hot 100, it reached number three on 27 May 1995, in its ninth week on the chart.[32]
"Be My Lover" earned agold record in Austria (25,000), Denmark (45,000), Germany (250,000), Italy (50,000), New Zealand (15,000), Norway, Spain (30,000), the UK (400,000), and the US (500,000); asilver record in France (125,000); and aplatinum record in Australia (70,000).
Two different music videos were made for this song: a European version and an American version.
The European version was filmed at the beginning of 1995, in the city at night. Melanie Thornton appears as adominatrix wearing a black outfit. She is driving a van, abducting Lane McCray to an underground club, where several men are being held captive. They are hanging upside down from hooks in the ceiling. Thornton walks around these men while she sings. Suddenly, McCray manages to break free and raps toward Thornton. An edited version does not show McCray being captured and almost all the scenes with the men being hanging upside down were cut.[33]
The American version was filmed in a recording studio at the beginning of 1996 with Thornton performing the song in front of a microphone. She has braids in her hair and wears a purple dress. McCray, wearing a black leather coat and sunglasses, raps in the control room of the studio, watching Thornton. This version was directed by Andras Mahr and filmed in Broadway Studios,New York City.[34][35] In the US, it wasBET that first played the video of "Be My Lover".[9] It was A-listed on Germany'sVIVA in April 1995.[36] Two months later, it was A-listed on DutchTMF and receivedactive rotation onMTV Europe.[37][38] On France'sMCM, "Be My Lover" was B-listed in August same year.[39]
La Bouche won the 1996Echo Music Prize in Germany for Best Dance Single with "Be My Lover", and theASCAP Award in the US for the Most Played Song in America. The song was also nominated forBest Dance Video at the1996 MTV Video Music Awards while La Bouche was nominated in the category forBest Dance at the1995 MTV Europe Music Awards. The success of the group also earned La Bouche an award at the French 1996 Dance d'Or Awards.[40][41]
In 2013,Vibe included "Be My Lover" in their list of "30 Dance Tracks from the '90s That Changed the Game".[42] In 2015, it was ranked one of "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1995" byIdolator. Bianca Gracie declared it as a "blood-pumping" tune "that combined energetic waves of synths with incredibly soulful vocals that kept bodies moving way longer than those endless rounds ofSex On The Beach cocktails ever could!". She added that "Be My Lover" "still provides a sense of euphoric escape that continues to refuel the spirit."[43] In 2016, James Arena, the writer ofStars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers called the song "blistering", noting further that it, with "Sweet Dreams", "are widely regarded today as indispensable classics of the decade."[44]
In 2017,BuzzFeed ranked "Be My Lover" number six in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s".Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo stated that "when you think of a '90s dance artist or group, La Bouche is on that list. A legend."[45] In 2019,Billboard magazine featured it in their list of "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s".[46] In 2024,MTV 90s ranked "Be My Lover" number 11 in their list of "Top 50 Rhythms of Eurodance".[47][48]
| Year | Publisher | Country | Accolade | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Echo Award | Germany | "Best National Dance Single"[49] | 1 |
| 1996 | ASCAP Award | United States | "Most Played Song in America" | 1 |
| 1996 | MTV Video Music Awards | United States | Nomination for "Best Dance Video" | |
| 2012 | Porcys | Poland | "100 Singli 1990-1999"[50] | 70 |
| 2013 | Vibe | United States | "Before EDM: 30 Dance Tracks from the '90s That Changed the Game"[42] | 16 |
| 2015 | Idolator | United States | "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1995"[43] | 30 |
| 2017 | BuzzFeed | United States | "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s"[45] | 6 |
| 2019 | Billboard | United States | "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s"[46] | 344 |
| 2023 | PureWow | United States | "The 53 Best 90s Songs of All Time"[51] | 38 |
| 2024 | MTV 90s | United Kingdom | "Top 50 Rhythms of Eurodance"[47][48] | 11 |
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Be My Lover".[52]
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Weekly charts[edit] | Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[98] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[103] | Gold | 25,000* |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[104] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[105] | Silver | 125,000* |
| Germany (BVMI)[106] | Gold | 250,000^ |
| Italy (FIMI)[107] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[108] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[109] | Gold | |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[110] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[111] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[112] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
The song was played in the 1995 Brazilian soap operaA Próxima Vítima, an episode of the American TV seriesBeverly Hills 90210 in 1996, the 1997 movieRomy and Michele's High School Reunion, the 1998 movieA Night at the Roxbury, the 1999 movieEarthly Possessions, and in an episode of the sitcomStep by Step. It was also spoofed as "One Zero 001" on a computer-themed episode ofBill Nye the Science Guy and used inAudition Online Dance Battle as a song. It can be vaguely heard in the background in the "World's Greatest Dick" episode of3rd Rock from the Sun, in the gay bar thatSally Solomon (Kristen Johnston) andHarry Solomon (French Stewart) walk into at the beginning of the episode. It was played during the second episode ofThe Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, as Gianni Versace (Édgar Ramírez) and his boyfriend Antonio D'Amico (Ricky Martin) enter a gay bar. In 2023, "Be My Lover" was used in episode 4 of Swedish TV-seriesGaslight which was produced bySVT. The song was also featured in an ad forDowny Unstoppables.
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